Racism in pain management: A study focusing on racialised women and people giving birth in obstetrics

Initial supervisor:
Prof. Dr Regina Brunnett
Secondary supervisor:
Dr Veronika Kourabas

This study examines racialised attributions in obstetric pain management in Germany. It focuses on the experiences of people giving birth and explores how prejudice can influence medical decisions, the management of pain experiences and trust in the healthcare system. The aim is to highlight potential discrimination and to provide impetus for more equitable and discrimination-sensitive care.

Academic and professional qualifications
Master of Arts in Public Health – Health Promotion and Prevention, University of
, Bremen

Bachelor's degree in European Public Health, Maastricht University

Behdjatpour, M. & Wachtlin, M. (2026) ‘When I write, I can speak’. Autoethnography as an empowerment strategy: Artistic processing of experiences of racism in health promotion. In S. L. Hansen & H. Schmidt-Semisch (Eds.), Art – Culture – Health. Perspectives on the Public Health Humanities (pp. 319–337). Bielefeld: transcript.

Behdjatpour, M. (2025). “You’ve stopped laughing altogether.” How racism makes you ill. An autoethnographic account. Zurich: Rotpunktverlag

11 May 2026 Guest lecture and reading: ‘How racism makes people ill’, Witten/Herdecke University

22 June 2026 Guest lecture and reading: Racism and Public Health, University of Bremen – Master's programme in Public Health, health promotion and prevention

Email address: mahssa.behdjatpour@gw.hs-fulda.de

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